Threading machine and work supporting member therefor



J. J. TYNE June 10, 1941.

THREADING MACHINE AND WORK SUPPORTING MEMBER THEREFOR Original FiledSept. 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l QQ y Q n m w [a J. J. TYNE June 10,1941.

THREADING MACHINE AND WORK SUPPORTING MEMBER THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Original Filed Sept. 22, 1938 IIIIJ fave/260w.- cfofwz rf gyms PatentedJune 10, 1941 THREABING MACHINE AND WORK SUP- PORTINGMEMBER THEREFORJohn J. Tyne, Oak Park, 111., assignor to Tyne 00., Chicago, 111., a.corporation of Illinois Original application September 22, 1938, SerialNo. 231,214, now Patent No. 2,235,908, dated March 25; 1941. Divided andthis application February 19,- 1941, Serial No. 37 9,7 01

4 Claims.

This inventionrelates to a threading machine, and particularly a pipeand nipple threading machine.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No.231,214, filed September 22-, 1938.

While the particular machine which I shall describe hereinafter inconnection with the drawings is a double end machine adapted forthreading opposite ends of a pipe, nipple, tube, or other member tobethreaded, it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied ina single end machine, or employed in other types of machines within thescope of the appended claims.

According to my invention, I provide an improved form of work-holdingvise means which is closed to hold the member to be threaded inthreading position between and in axial alignment with the threading dieheads of the machine and opened to release the Work by fluid pressuremeans, and particularly pneumatically.

I also provide for moving the threading die heads axially into and outof threading position relative to the opposite ends of the member to bethreaded by fluid pressure, and particularly by pneumatically actuatedmeans.

The improved form of work-holding vise means of the present inventioncomprises two jaws which are closed upon the work to hold same inposition and opened by fluid pressure, and particularly by pneumaticallyactuated means, and both jaws move to equalize their application tothework. The vise means is of short length longitudinally of the machine topermit handling of short pieces to be threaded.

The chief advantage of my invention consists in reducing the amount of'labor to be performed by the operator and the skill required to operatethe machine and in increasing the speedof operation and, thereby, theoutput of the machine. Where, for example, the threading die heads aremoved into and out of threading position manually and the work-holdingmeans opened and closed manually as heretofore in the art, skilled laboris required and the human element results in reduced output of themachine. The operating mechanism of the presentinvention ischaracterized by its ease, convenience, and speed of operation, and theentire machine is thereby made capable of maintaining a greater and moreuniform speed of operation with a resulting increased output. Less workis imposed upontheoperator, and the machine is. adapted for use byunskilled labor.

The increased production over hand-operated machines is marked; and themachine of the present invention is adapted for threading pipes,nipples, tubes and other members up to diameters at least 50% largerthan those'that can be handled with the prior art machines.

The machine is operable expeditiously, and-is of simple construction,particularly with respect to the improved work-holding vise means andwith respect to the fluid pressure or pneumatic means for closingandopening the Work-holding vise and for moving the threading die headsinto and out of threading position.

Numerous advantages and adaptations of the invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a pipe and nipple threadingmachine embodying the present invention;

FigureZ is a detail partially in elevation and partially in section ofone of the bearing supports forone' of the splined shafts;

Figure 3 isa view partially in elevation and partially'in section of atubular member threaded and reamed with the machine of the presentinvention;

Figured is an end or face view of one of the threading die head's,showing the reamer in position therein;

Figure 5' is a more orless diagrammatic side elevational view showingthe vise orwork-holding means for holding the member to be threaded inposition between the threading die heads and in axial alignmenttherewith, and the fluid pressure actuating means therefor; and

Figure- 6 is a fragmentary top plan View of the vise or work-holdingmeans shown in Figure 5.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the embodiment of the inventionselected for illustration comprises a main frame consisting of a baseo-rbed-section [0 having suitable supporting means at II. The threading dieheads M and I5 are disposed in axial alignment, and vise or Work-holdingmeans, designated in its entirety at 12, is adapted for holding themember to be threaded between the threading die heads i l and I5 and inaxial alignment therewith.

The threading die heads M and 15 are rotated by splined shafts l6 andll, preferably in opposite directions, to form the threads is and E9 onopposite ends of the tubular member 29 (Figure-3) preferably in the samedirection, i. e., either right hand or left hand. This may, of

course, vary. Any suitable driving means, such as a belt drive or amotor drive, may be employed for driving the shafts I6 and Il. In theillustrated embodiment of the invention I have shown a driving motor 22driving a shaft 23 through a driving chain 24. The shaft 23 has a gear25 thereon which meshes with a gear 26 on a shaft 21. The gear 26 mesheswith and drives an axially fixed gear 28 and serves as a reduction gear.The gear 28 is splined upon the splined end 29 of the shaft H to turnthe shaft ll there with and, at the same time, permit axial shiftingmovement of the shaft ll relative to the gear 28.

The shaft 21 extends longitudinally of the machine and, at its oppositeend, has a gear 33 thereon. This gear 30 meshes with an idler gear 32which, in turn, meshes with the gear 33 to rotate th same opposite thedirection of rotation of the gear 28. The gear 33 is splined upon thesplined end 34 of the shaft [6 to turn the shaft I6 therewith oppositethe direction of rota tion of the shaft IT and, at the same time, topermit axial shifting movement of the shaft l6 relative to the axiallyfixed gear 33.

Each splined shaft I6 and I! is supported for rotation and axial slidingmovement in a pair of bearing supports 35, 36 and 31, 38, respectively.These bearingsupportsare mounted in fixed position upon the main frameor bed IQ of the machine. As shown in Figure 2, each bearing support 36and 3'! comprises the main bearing supporting member 40 in which abearing sleeve 4| is held against rotation, for example by a suitablekey 42. Timken or other suitable roller bearings 43 are mounted in thebearing sleeves 4|, and bearing separator sleeves and '1 posite end ofthe shaft 21 may be supported in a suitable bearing support 49.

The threading die heads [4 and 15 are of the Landis type, well known inthe art. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention isnot limited to embodiment in the particular type of machine shown anddescribed, nor is it limited to use with the particular type ofthreading di heads above mentioned.

Suflice it, for purposes of the present description, to state that thedie proper of each threading die head l4 and [5 consists of four chasers52 (Figure 4), which are tangentially inclined to the work to agree withthe pitch'of the thread. A reamer 54 is mounted in each of the threadingheads I4 and I5. These reamers 54 are preferably of the type disclosedand claimed in my Patent No. 2,188,584, dated January 30, 1940, althoughthey may be of other form within the scope of the present invention.

The reamers 54 have blades provided with cutting edges for removing theburrs from the inside of the opposite ends of the tubular member 20 at55'(Figure 3), and cutting edges for chamfering the outside of theopposite ends of the member 20, at indicated at 56. Also,'as set forthin my above patent, the reamers 54 have shoulders which are adapted tobe engaged by the ends of the pipe or tube when the lengths of threadfor which the reamers are adjusted is formed and the ends of the pipehave been reamed and chamfered as above set forth. The engagement of theends of the pipe or tube with these shoulders actuates trippingmechanismfor example, of the character employed in the Landis or anyother type threading headsauitomaticaliy to trip the threading heads andthereby open the threading jaws, whereupon the vise or holding means isreleased to release the @work, and it drops, for example, into a pan orthe like placed beneath the same.

With the work supported in position between the threading heads l4 andi5 and in axial alignment therewith, as shown in dotted lines at 30 inFigure 1, the threading heads are moved axially toward each other intothreading position relative to th opposite ends of the work by shiftingthe shafts l6 and I1 axially toward each other, i. e., the shaft l6axially to the right and the shaft ll axially to the left as viewed inFigure l. Heretofore, this shifting of the threading heads to threadingposition or into threading engagement with the work has beenaccomplished manually by rack and pinion means and the like, which hasmade it necessary to use skilled operators, has reduced the speed ofoperation, and thereby the output of the machine, and has alsorestricted the size of work that could be handled.

The present invention shifts the splined shafts It and El axially and,thereby, the threading die heads l4 and I5 axially into and out ofthreading engagement with the ends of the work 60 .by fluid pressuremeans, and particularly b pneumatically actuated means. 7

The particular pneumatic operating means shown in the drawings comprisesan air cylinder 65 which may be mounted, for example, on the bed of themachine. It has a piston operable therein, and th piston (not shown) isconnected to a piston rod 66 which extends out through air-tight means61 at one end of the cylinder 65, and is pivoted at 68 to an actuatinglever 69. Thelever 69 is pivoted intermediate its ends at m, forexample, upon the bed or frame ID. A collar 72, fixed upon the splinedshaft I'l, fits between rollers 13, 13 on the upper end of the lever 69,so that when the lever is swung counterclockwise (Figure 1)- about itspivot 10, the engagement of the collar 12 between the rollers l3, l3shifts the splined shaft I1 and, thereby, the threading die head I5axially to the left. Swinging movement of the lever 69 in the oppositedirection shifts the shaft I"! and the threading head l5 axially to theright (Figure 1).

A longitudinally extending connecting link 15, pivoted at 16 to thelever 69 below the pivot NJ, is pivoted at its opposite end at 1'! to alever 18, which lever 18 is pivoted at 19, for example, to the frame ofthe machine beneaththe pivotal connection at 11 with the link 15. Theupper end of the lever 18 is pivoted at to a link 8| which, in turn, ispivoted at 82 to a lever 83. The lever 83 is pivoted at 84, for example,to the frame of the machine, and a collar 85, similar to the collar 12,fixed upon the splined shaft 16, fits between rollers 86, 86 on'theupper end of the lever 83 so that shifting of the threading head i5-tothe left and intothreading engagement with one end of the work 60 isaccompanied by a shifting of the threading head 14 to the right and intothreading engagement with the opposite end of the work.

Air pressure is supplied from a suitable source of air pressure supply(not shown), by way;of an air pressure pipe 90, which is connected by.

an air line 9| to a suitable manually controlled valve 92-, and throughthe valve 92 and. suitable air connections 93 and 94 to the oppositeends of the, cylinder 65. The valve 92 is provided with a manuallycontrolled handle 96 by means of which the operator may apply airpressure selectively to either of the opposite ends of the cylinder 65to actuate the threading heads I4 and I5 into and out. of threadingposition, as desired. The piston (not shown) within the cylinder 65 isshown as pivoted at 98. to allow for the swinging movement of the lever69, but thismay be accomplished in any other suitable or preferredmanner, as for. example by means of a slot and pin connection at 68 VThe vise. or work-holding means I2 is. in the form of a. clamping devicecomprising two jaws I and I0.I (Figure 5.) fulcrumed or pivoted at I02in a, suitable jaw support or retainer I03 adjustably mounted, forexample, upon. the frame part I04 of the machine. The inner workgripping surfaces of the jaws I00 and IOI. have replaceable b1ocks,I05therein, and these blocks I 05 have inserts I06. which are preferablyvformed of; case-hardened steel or the like, for gripping engagement withthe workwithout undue wear. The inserts I06 are secured in place. in theblocks I.05 by screws I01, and may, if desired, be arranged foradjustment toward and away from each other by these screws properly, togrip tubes of different diameters.v

Of course instead of adjusting the inserts I06 as above mentioned, theseinserts maybe merely replaceably secured in place by the screws I01 anddifierent spacing of the insertsv provided for tubular work of difierentdiameters by replacing the blocks I05 with other blocks having theinserts I06 differently spaced. The blocks I05 may be replaceablysecured to the jaws; I00 and IOI in any suitable or preferred manner, asfor example, by pressed fit as shown.

Retainer pins I08, extending through the space between the oppositesides of the jaw support I03 and engaging in notches I09 in the jaws I00and IOI, permit swinging movement of the jaws to open and closedpositions, and, at the same time, retain the jaws in fulcrumed orpivoted position in the support I03. Adjusting means at IIO (Figure 5)is operable to adjust the jaw support I03, and thereby the jaws I00 andIOI, inwardly and outwardly so that they will hold the work, indicatedin dotted lines at 60 (Figures 5 and 6), in axial alignment with thethreading die heads I4 and I5.

The work-holding jaws I00 and IOI are opened and closed by fluidpressure, and particularly by pneumatically actuated means. Theparticular pneumatic actuating means for opening and closing the jaws,shown in the drawings, comprises an air chamber II5 having a piston (notshown) operable therein. The piston is connected to a piston rod I I 6which extends out through air-tight means H8 and has, at its outer end,a wedge or tapered plunger I20. The wedge or plunger I operates betweenthe inner surfaces I2I and I22 (Figure 5) of the jaws I00 and IOI. Ayoke member I24, secured to the wedge I20 at I25, carries rollers I26which 00- operate with the surfaces I21 and I28 of the jaws I00 and IOI.

An air supply connection I30 (Figure 1) supplies air under pressure fromthe air supply line 90 to a valve I32, and through this valve I 32 andair connections I33 and I34 selectively to opposite ends of the airchamber H5 at I35 and I36. The valve I32 is manually controlled as bymeans of a foot pedal I38 (Figure 1), by means of which the operator mayapply air pressure selectively to either end of the air chamber II5.formoving the piston in one direction to close the jaws I00 and IOI uponthe work or, in the other direction, to open the jaws from the work.

When, for example, the valve I32 is operated to applyair pressure to thechamber H5 at I36, the piston within the chamber H5 is moved to the left(Figure 5), forcing the wedge I20 to the left, and this wedge, by itswedging cooperation with the jaws, forces the work gripping inserts I06into firm gripping engagement with the work to hold the same in positionbetween the threading die heads I4 and I5 and in axial alignmenttherewith. On the other hand, when the valve I 32 is operated to applyair pressure to th chamber H5 at I35, the piston is moved in theopposite direction, withdrawing the wedge I20 from between the jaws, andthe rollers I26, by cooperation with the surfaces I21 and I28 of thejaws, swing the same to open position to release the work. The movementof both jaws equalizes their application to the work, and this equalizedapplication of the work-holding means is an important aspect of thepresent invention.

In the operation of the machine, the jaw support I03 is adjusted toposition the jaws so that they will grip and hold the work in axialalignment with the threading heads I4 and I5. With the jaw support thuspositioned, the operator merely places the work between the jaws, and,by manipulating the valve I32 with his foot, applies air pressure toclose the jaws into equalized holding engagement with the work. Then bythe simple expedient of operating the valve handle 06, the threading dieheads I4 and I5 are closed into threading engagement with the oppositeends of the work. Upon completion of the desired lengths of threads andreaming and chamferin-g the opposite ends of the work, as shown inFigure 3, the engagement of the ends of the work with shoulders on thereamers trips the threading jaws of the threading heads to openposition, whereupon the valve I32 is operated to release the work, and,by operation of the valve 96, the threading heads are separated toreceive another piece of work. Springs I10 are preferably connectedbetween the lever 69 and the stationary portion of the adjacent bearing38 and between the link SI and the stationary portion of the adjacentbearing 35, as shown in Figure 1.

As already pointed out, the die heads are opened and closedautomatically, and the automatic mechanism is controlled by means of atrip by which adjustment for any desired length of thread may beobtained.- The yoke rings I50 (Figure l) are similar to the yoke ringsof the Landis type die heads. These rings I50 are separated axially fromthe heads I4 and I5 in the tripping operation, and are reset to closethe threading jaws by springs I52. The springs I52 are coiled about pinsI53 and confined between abutments I54 on the rings I50 and bearingsupports 36 and 31.

A pipe line I60, for oil or other suitable cooling liquid (Figure 1),has outlets I62 for delivering the oil or other liquid to cool thecutting edges ofethe die heads in the threading operation.

It is to be understood that the particular operating connections foroperating the work-holding means and the threading heads from the fluidpressure or pneumatic actuating means are shown more or lessdiagrammatically in the drawings and may be modified as desired withinthe scope of the present invention. holding jaws I and lfll are of shortlength longitudinally of the machine, thereby permitting handling ofshort pieces to be threaded. The op eration of the machine by fluidpressure or pneumatic operation, as herein described, relieves theoperator of any fatigue, particularly after he has been at work for aperiod of time. The machine is operated easily, conveniently, and atgreater speed. The output of the machine is increased, and unskilledlabor may be employed to operate the same. 1

-I do not intend to be limited to the precise details shown ordescribe-d.

- I claim:

1. In combination, an axially movable threading die head, means forsupporting a member to be threaded in axial alignment with saidthreadin-g die head, said supporting means comprising a pair of jawmembers each fulcrumed intermediate its ends to be closed into equalizedholding engagement with the member to be threaded at one end and to beopened to rel-ease said member, a wedge member engaging internallybetween the opposite ends of said jaw members, roller means carried bysaid wedge member and engaging externally with said jaw members, andfluid pressure means for actuating said wedge member to close said jawmembers by wed-ging engagement therebetween and to open said jaw membersby the cooperation of said rollers externally therewith.

2. In a machine of the class described, a work supporting membercomprising, in combination, a pair of pivoted jaw members adapted to beclosed into holding engagement with the work, a wedge member engaginginternally between said jaw members for swinging same to closed positionto The workgrip the work upon actuation of said wedge meni ber in onedirection, a yoke carried by said wedge member, and means carried bysaid yoke and engaging externally over said jaw members for opening saidjaw members to release the work upon actuation of said wedge member inthe opposite direction.

3. In a machine of the class described, a work supporting membercomprising, in combination, a pair of pivoted jaw members adapted to beclosed into holding engagement with the work, a Wedge member engaginginternally between said jaw members for swinging same to closed positionto grip the work upon actuation of said wedge member in one direction, ayoke carried by said wedge member, means carried by said yoke andengaging externally over said jaw members for opening said jaw membersto release the work upon actuation of said wedge member in the oppositedirection, and fluid pressure means operable to actuate said wedgemember in opposite directions. 7

4. In a machine of the class described, a work supporting membercomprising, in combination, a pair of pivoted jaw members adapted to beclosed into holding engagement with the work, a wedge member engaginginternally between said jaw members for swinging same to closed positionto grip the work upon actuation of said wedge member in one direction, ayoke-carried by said wedge member, means carried by said yoke andengaging externally over said jaw members for opening said jaw membersto'release the work upon actuation of said wedge member in the oppositedirection, a fluid pressure cylinder having a piston connected to saidwedge member for actuating same in opposite directions, a fluid pressuresupply line for said cylinder, and valve means operable to supply fluidpressure to said pressure cylinder selectively on opposite sides-of saidpiston. 1

JOHN J. TYNE.

